Data Zone
Taxonomic note
Sternula nereis (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously placed in the genus Sterna.
Taxonomic source(s)
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | C1 |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Vulnerable | C1 |
| 2016 | Vulnerable | C1 |
| 2012 | Vulnerable | C1 |
| 2010 | Vulnerable | C1 |
| 2008 | Vulnerable | C1 |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1996 | Vulnerable | |
| 1994 | Vulnerable | |
| 1988 | Near Threatened |
| Migratory status | not a migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type |
Australia |
Average mass | 72 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 12,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 12,600,000 km2 | medium |
| Number of locations | 11-100 | - |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 2500-9999 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 2007 |
| Population trend | decreasing | medium | estimated | 1980-2010 |
| Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 20-29% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 11 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 2-100 | - | - | - |
Population justification:
Population estimates indicate that there are a few hundred pairs of Fairy Terns breeding in South Australia (in the Gulfs region) and Tasmania, 120-150 pairs in Victoria with up to 70 individuals in New South Wales. The statement cites a population of 1,600 pairs for Western Australia although this likely to be a significant under-estimate. All up the population of Australian Fairy Terns is currently considered to consist of between 5,000 and 10,000 individuals across all age classes. In New Zealand, davisae numbers 40-45 individuals. In New Caledonia, exul numbers 100-200 pairs. The total population is best placed in the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals.
Trend justification: Data indicates a decline of 23% due to, perhaps most importantly, disturbance and predation.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | extant | native | yes | |||
| New Caledonia (to France) | extant | native | yes | |||
| New Zealand | extant | native | yes |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Sand Dunes | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Whole (>90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 7 | ||||||
|
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| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Canis familiaris | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Named species | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Vulpes vulpes | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Rapid Declines | Medium Impact: 6 | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Fairy Tern Sternula nereis. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/fairy-tern-sternula-nereis on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.